Assessing Literary Adaptations and Translations for Children: Don Quixote in English

Abstract

Adaptations and translations of children’s books contribute to modifying and consolidating the literary canon. This article aims to discuss the main theoretical concepts related to the assessment of adaptations for children to analyze certain literary adaptations into English of the Spanish novel El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha. Target texts must be engaging enough to introduce the children to the novel and maintain their interest when they become adults, which results in deviations from the source text to fit the reader’s expectation and abilities. The reasons affecting the adaptor’s decisions are studied and evaluated.